Florida Statute 316.221 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES

Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL

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F.S. 316.221

316.221 Taillamps.—

(1) Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two taillamps mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required in s. 316.217, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of 1,000 feet to the rear, except that passenger cars and pickup trucks manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1972, which were originally equipped with only one taillamp shall have at least one taillamp. On a combination of vehicles, only the taillamps on the rearmost vehicle need actually be seen from the distance specified. On vehicles equipped with more than one taillamp, the lamps shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable. An object, material, or covering that alters the taillamp’s visibility from 1,000 feet may not be placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied over a taillamp.

(2) Either a taillamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear. Any taillamp or taillamps, together with any separate lamp or lamps for illuminating the rear registration plate, shall be so wired as to be lighted whenever the headlamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted. Dump trucks and vehicles having dump bodies are exempt from the requirements of this subsection.

(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 79-97; s. 173, ch. 99-248; s. 10, ch. 2000-313; s. 17, ch. 2006-290.

F.S. 316.221 on Google Scholar

F.S. 316.221 on Casetext

Amendments to 316.221

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 316.221

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 316.221.

Civil Citations / Citable Offenses under S316.221

R or S next to points is Mandatory Revocation or Suspension

S316.221 TAILLIGHTS - No/improper - 2 red lights required except on vehicles made prior to 01/72 with 1 light - Points on Drivers License: 0

S316.221 REGISTRATION PLATE (TAG) LIGHT - White light illumination from a distance of 50' to the rear required - Points on Drivers License: 0

S316.221 (1) Tail Lights None/improper - Points on Drivers License: 0

S316.221 (2) No Tag Light (Dump trucks and dump bodies are exempt - Points on Drivers License: 0

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 316.221

Total Results: 20

Classy Cycles, Inc. v. Bay County

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2016-09-28

Citation: 201 So. 3d 779, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 14507

Snippet: lamps are required), § 316.220 (headlamps), § 316.221 (tail-lamps), § 316.222 (stop lamps and turn signals)

K.S. v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2012-04-18

Citation: 85 So. 3d 566, 2012 WL 1317950, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 6050

Snippet: Webb, 398 So.2d 820, 824 (Fla.1981). . Section 316.221 governs taillamps in motor vehicles and provides

KS v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2012-04-18

Citation: 85 So. 3d 566, 2012 WL 1317950

Snippet: Webb, 398 So.2d 820, 824 (Fla.1981). [2] Section 316.221 governs taillamps in motor vehicles and provides

Davison v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2009-05-19

Citation: 15 So. 3d 34, 2009 Fla. App. LEXIS 5827, 2009 WL 1378125

Snippet: officer was mistaken in his belief that section 316.221(2), Florida Statutes (2007), required the tag to

Paul v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2008-09-19

Citation: 991 So. 2d 404, 2008 WL 4276328

Snippet: posed a safety hazard. Id. Similarly, section 316.221(1), Florida Statutes (2002), does not require taillamps

Langello v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2007-12-19

Citation: 970 So. 2d 491, 2007 WL 4404597

Snippet: believed this violated section 316.221(2), Florida Statutes (2004). Section 316.221(2) requires vehicles to

State v. Lee

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2007-05-11

Citation: 957 So. 2d 76, 2007 WL 1372731

Snippet: operating justified the traffic stop under section 316.221(2), and whether or not the deputy further inspected

State v. Schuck

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2005-09-28

Citation: 913 So. 2d 69, 2005 WL 2373878

Snippet: suspicion that it was in violation of section 316.221(1)[3] regarding taillamps, which provides, in pertinent

Hilton v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2005-02-16

Citation: 901 So. 2d 155

Snippet: tail-light. As the supreme court noted, section *163 316.221(1) specified the requirements for taillights: Every

Frierson v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2003-08-06

Citation: 851 So. 2d 293, 2003 WL 21800407

Snippet: adjustment as required in this chapter." Section 316.221(1), Florida Statutes (2000) requires a motor vehicle

Cole v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2003-02-12

Citation: 838 So. 2d 1205, 2003 WL 288947

Snippet: driving at night with an inoperable tag light); § 316.221(2), Fla. Stat. (1999). Cole also challenges the

Michel v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2000-01-07

Citation: 752 So. 2d 6, 2000 WL 6119

Snippet: prohibiting the obstruction of the highway, ss. 316.221, 316.222 and 316.2045, Fla. Stat. (1993), but defendants

Tackett v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1999-11-19

Citation: 745 So. 2d 477, 1999 Fla. App. LEXIS 15431, 1999 WL 1043952

Snippet: illuminate the license plate as required by section 316.221(2) of the Florida Statutes (1997), and as a result

State v. Parrish

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1999-04-16

Citation: 731 So. 2d 101, 1999 WL 218411

Snippet: same manner as a regular license plate. See §§ 316.221(2), 316.605(1), Fla. Stat. (1995). . . . Section

Holmes v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1998-04-15

Citation: 710 So. 2d 651, 1998 WL 171456

Snippet: same manner as a regular license plate. See §§ 316.221(2), 316.605(1), Fla. Stat. (1995).[1] The argument

Indialantic Police Dept. v. Zimmerman

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1996-07-26

Citation: 677 So. 2d 1307, 1996 Fla. App. LEXIS 7855, 1996 WL 417613

Snippet: 540 So.2d 210 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989); §§ 316.217, 316.221, Fla. Stat. (1993); Whren and Brown v. United States

Williams v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1994-08-03

Citation: 640 So. 2d 1206, 1994 WL 397620

Snippet: v. State, 588 So.2d 1014 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991); § 316.221, Fla. Stat. (1993). Second, we conclude that the

Doctor v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 1992-03-12

Citation: 596 So. 2d 442, 1992 WL 45029

Snippet: 316.220, Fla. Stat. (1987) (headlamps); id. § 316.221 (taillamps); id. § 316.222 (stop lamps and turn

Joseph v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1991-10-11

Citation: 588 So. 2d 1014, 1991 WL 203124

Snippet: first issue, the stop was not pretextual. Section 316.221, Florida Statutes (1987), requires that a motor

Lemon v. State

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1991-05-22

Citation: 580 So. 2d 292, 1991 WL 85550

Snippet: additional invalid purpose. Id. at 1097. Section 316.221, Florida Statutes (1987), requires a motor vehicle